FRISCO, Texas – Let's take a shot at two hypotheticals concerning Micah Parsons, now just eight days shy of the Cowboys' and NFL season opener on Sept. 4 against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in Philadelphia.
First one, Micah signs the contract extension he's been "holding-in" for negotiating purposes with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, knowing the clock is ticking. Great, that means he can deposit a double-figure million dollar signing bonus that day into the account of his choice. Also means by remaining on the current 53-man roster, he will resume practicing with the team, something he hasn't done since the first week of January.
But how prepared can he be to actually play in his first real football game since Jan. 5, having missed the entirety of the offseason, training camp, preseason and, depending on when this hypothetical takes place, practices leading up to next Thursday night's opener now dwindling to just four?
Let Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer on Tuesday answer this one for you after pointing out having spent an hour speaking with Micah on Monday, though nothing to do with contract negotiations:
"At the end of the day, as soon as he can get out there, that's great, but again, there will be a ramp-up plan for him. And when he lines up out there to play, do I think he would play 75 plays and every play? Probably not. I don't think that that's real, but I do think he can be very disruptive like we all know."
So if paying attention, signing an extension is one thing, but being physically able to play at this point is nearing another thing for sure.
Second hypothetical: Micah and his agent do not come to an agreement with the Cowboys on an extension, yet still under contract, that fifth-year option, one year guaranteed at $21 million still intact. That leaves him with two choices. Ends his "hold-in," returns to practice and is willing to play in the opener if physically able since, after all, the game's located in his home state of Philadelphia but 107 miles from his hometown of Harrisburg. And we're talking up against the Eagles on national TV with millions and millions more like watching around the world. Micah's pretty cognizant of his brand. Oh, and he gets paid, too, if on the active 53-man roster.
OK, but refer to Schotty above. Will playing in the game no matter the timing be a smart thing to do even at this point with still 16 games left in the season?
The other choice? Refuse to return to practice or play in the game without the extension while under contract. That continued "hold-in" likely would leave the Cowboys the real option of placing him on some sort of reserve list, thus preventing him from earning the $1.2 million a week the fifth-year option will pay him. Got to be mighty committed to a cause to forfeit that kind of money. And while players would never voice this, also meaning having turned his back on his teammates.
And this, too, is pertinent to the discussion since Micah is under contract: Nothing prevents ongoing extension negotiations during the season, Jerry reminding everyone a week or so ago there is "no deadline" to reach an agreement in his mind.
Schottenheimer thus having to answer the proverbial and inevitable "distraction" question on Tuesday. Like, how much does this extension stalemate and accompanying shenanigans interfere with the debut of the first-time head coach's game-planning ability?
"The business side of it always works out. One way or another, the business side always works out," Schottenheimer said. "That's not something I'm really in control of."
But again, let's bet dollars to a donut Schotty is well aware of these shots at hypotheticals.
- Maybe Making Cents: Seems there has been this uproar from outside The Star for the Cowboys to release 2023 first-round draft choice Mazi Smith, giving no consideration to a roster void of defensive players in the 320-pound range. But happen to come across this: Mazi's 2025 salary cap hit is $3.6 million. To release him would cause the Cowboys to absorb $7.8 million in dead money on his fully guaranteed, four-year contract worth $13.274 million. Now, when answering the Mazi question, Schottenheimer said he had a long talk with his inconsistent defensive tackle, pointing out why he has been retained on the 53-man roster, saying, "I wanted Mazi to know, hey, this has nothing to do with you being a first-round draft pick. There is an expectation as a plyer because of how talented you are, and we've seen it. We just need to see it more on a consistent basis." All makes perfect cents to me and you. They hope "The Maz" in waiting, too.
- Roster Churning: Schottenheimer wasn't kidding on Tuesday when saying, "We'll definitely be active," meaning after the initial roster reduction was made to 53. And it didn't take long for the Cowboys to voice their displeasure with what they were dealing with in the secondary. In fact, less than 24 hours later putting in waiver claims on two defensive backs, former Chargers 2024 seventh-round draft choice Trikweze Bridges and nickel corner Reddy Steward, who had spent the 2024 season on the Bears practice squad under the eye of now Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and secondary coach David Overstreet. And its Bridges who just might be the prize I'm told. Why, to make room for these two DBs, the Cowboys released Andrew Booth, who struggled in training camp, and rookie free agent Zion Childress, who appeared would be the nickel corner if Trevon Diggs wasn't ready to play in the opener. Those guys apparently were mere placeholders since able bodies were needed at cornerback, though Childress will be signed to the practice squad if he clears waivers. Don't be surprised if Steward moves right into the slot, even at 5-11, 178. This guy at Troy University made plays on the ball. In fact, his final two years in the Sun Belt, the 4.45-second corner totaled seven interceptions, two of those pick sixes. And even in the preseason for the Bears last year, Steward picked off two passes in one game, the second a 46-yard pick six.
- More Moves: While releasing those two cornerbacks made room for the waiver claims, the Cowboys also are opening two more roster spots by moving from the original 53-man roster following their perfunctory stay, cornerback Caelen Carson and running back Phil Mafah, who are now eligible for IR-Return after four games. As have repeatedly said to young guys who initially make the 53-man roster, don't go out to buy a house just yet. Always more moves to be made.
- This & That: By 3 p.m. Wednesday the Cowboys had signed 15 players to the 16-man practice squad, presumably holding the 16th spot for Childress, the 15 including most notably quarterback Will Grier, wide receiver Jalen Brooks, cornerback Kemon Hall, tight end Princeton Fant, wide receiver Traeshon Holden and linebacker Buddy Johnson, a valued special teams player … With all the roster churning taking place, the Cowboys have given the players their mandatory three consecutive days off on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before returning to practice on Friday, then swinging into a normal week's schedule, with off on Saturday, practices on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and no more than a walk-through on Wednesday before boarding the charter flight to Philly that afternoon … The hope being Parsons one way or another practices with the team in preparation to potentially playing on Thursday night, same with Trevon Diggs, and as for Tyler Guyton, seems even though back in practice to actually be ready to play in the opener … As part of Schottenheimer's discussion concerning defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey making the team, he described the second-year player by saying, "You turn the film on and that guy is a disruptive, bad ass football player."
And speaking of Winfrey, the former Oklahoma defensive tackle and fourth-round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns in 2022 ran into some legal problems in 2023, resulting in the Browns then releasing him. That caused the 6-4, 290-pounder to miss the 2024 season, and then jump-starting his career in 2025 by playing for Birmingham of the UFL and signing with the Cowboys this summer. Once again, head coach Brian Schottenheimer grabs the last word while relating this story on one of the team's newest additions.
And believe me, that should be plural "words" since Schotty recounted the discussion with Winfrey when telling the 25-year-old he made the Cowboys' 53-man roster, that normally does not happen in the NFL, the meetings on this cut day usually reserved for those getting cut.
"Brought Perrion Winfrey in, and he assumed he was being cut, so he walked in, sat down in my office and Will (McClay) and I did play it up a little bit. A good actor, if I have to say so myself, being kind of a jackass for doing it, I said, 'These are hard days, and there are a lot of hard conversations that have to happen, but this is one I've really been looking forward to because I'm telling you, you've made the team.'
"And he became very emotional, and I became emotional, and looked over at McClay, and he was emotional. And when you're talking about a guy who's had this amazing game taken away from him, you realize how much these players love this game, what they sacrifice to play this game, what they have to give up and go through, the pounding it takes on their bodies.
"But the emotion of it, seeing Perrion act like that showed me two things: It showed me the passion he has for this game, but also the pain he's had to go through having it taken away from him and not knowing whether this would work out or not. And I told him, the reason we wanted to do it (this way) is I wanted to see the reaction because I figured you would react like this, and he did not disappoint.
"A special young man."
And a special story we all needed to hear.
